Transcript

of

Bovey Tracey Entry

William White

History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Devon. London: Simpkins, Marshall & Co. (1878-1879) pp. 166-168

Index prepared by Michael Steer

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BOVEY TRACEY, or South Bovey, a small ancient town and parish, includes the hamlets of Little Bovey and Lower Brimley. It is in Newton Abbot union and county court district, Newton Abbot polling district of East Devon, Teignbridge petty sessional division and hundred, Totnes archdeaconry, and Moreton deanery, and had 2133 inhabitants (1014 males, 1119 females) in 1871, living in 421 houses on 7262 acres of land. The town is picturesquely situated in the valley of the West Teign or Bovey river, 6 miles SE by S of Moreton Hampstead, 5 miles NNE of Newton Abbot, and 4 miles W by S of Chudleigh. Bovey Tracey parish includes part of the heath and rocky moorland hills on the eastern side of Dartmoor Forest, and is crossed by the railway from Haytor Rocks Granite Works, in the adjoining parish of Ilsington. Bovey coal is obtained in this parish (see Geology, page 70). An extensive pottery was established here in 1772 and is now carried on by a company, who manufacture earthenware, equal in quality and design to the best Staffordshire wares, and who employ about 300 hands. Here are also several brickyards. Since the opening of the Stover Canal, which connects Haytor Railway with the navigable part of the Teign, the leeches and morasses of the Heathfield have disappeared. The Vale of Bovey is skirted by towering hills and rocks, commanding extensive views, and affording a diversified field for the study of the geologist. C A Bentinck, Esq., owns a great part of the parish, and is lord of the manor and borough of Bovey Tracey, formerly held by the Tracey family, as parcel of the barony of Barnstable, and for which a portreeve and bailiff are elected annually at the lord's court. The former officer is supposed anciently to have been styled mayor. He has the profits of a small piece of land, for defraying the expense of the annual perambulation of the boundaries of the parish, called 'the mayor's riding'. Part of the parish is in other manors, and much of the soil belongs to various freeholders. In 1259, Henry Tracey obtained a charter for a market and fair here, but the former has long been obsolete. The town had formerly four fairs, but it has now only one, held on Easter Monday, for the sale of cattle. It was at Bovey Tracey where Lieutenant General Cromwell on January 8, 1646, with the van of Fairfax's army, beat up the quarters of the royalist general Lord Wentworth, about six at night, and took 400 horse, seven colours, and a crown with CR upon it. The principal officers of the royalists were engaged at cards when Cromwell entered the town with his troopers, from Crediton, and they only escaped by throwing their stakes out of the window, and flying through the back door, while the roundheads were scrambling for the money in the street. Jewe's Bridge, about two miles below the town, was built many years ago, by one of the Jewe family formerly seated here. Cole House is the seat of J Levett Esq., and the Park, a large mansion with extensive grounds is the residence and property of William R Hole Esq. Indio, and ancient seat of the Southcotts and Stawells, and said to have been a priory or cell of Black Friars, is the residence of C A Bentinck Esq. The TOWN HALL, near which stands the ancient stone cross, is at the centre of the town and was built in 1865 at a cost of £1300, of which £500 was given by a private gentleman, and £800 charged upon the rates, is repaid by instalments. The hall is used for vestry meetings, balls, concerts, &c. THE PARISH CHURCH (St Thomas A Becket), a large, ancient structure in the Perpendicular style, having a tower containing six bells, was restored in 1857, at the cost of £2000. The tower was repaired and a new clock with two dials added in 1877 at an expense of £600. The brass eagle still remains, and the stone pulpit is richly carved, gilt and coloured. The vicarage, valued in KB at £26 2s 1d, and now at £448, is in the patronage of the Crown and incumbency of the Hon and Rev C L Courtenay, MA, Canon of Windsor and Chaplain to the Queen. There is a good residence and 7A 2R 14P of glebe. The great tithes were purchased by the landowners in 1805 and the vicarial were commuted in 1843 for £450 a year. ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, a small but neat Gothic structure on the Heath field, was built in 1853 by the present vicar at a cost of £1900, as a chapel of ease to the parish church. It has 230 sittings and all the windows are filled of stained glass, most being memorial. THE WESLEYAN CHAPEL is being built, at a cost of £300, in lieu of the old one, and will hold 300 persons. THE BAPTIST CHAPEL was erected in 1823, and a new minister's house purchased in 1875 at a cost of £475. The INDEPENDENTS have also a place of worship here. The NATIONAL SCHOOL was built in 1868, at an outlay of £700. ST JOHN'S INFANT SCHOOL, on the Heathfield, in 1874; and the BRITISH SCHOOL in 1866. The ancient school founded in or before 1713, is now called the GRAMMAR SCHOOL, and is governed by a scheme issued by the Endowed School Commissioners in 1873. By this and two other schemes certain charities are consolidated and united with this foundation. The governing body consists of nine persons, of whom three are elected by the parish vestry; two nominated by Newton Abbot board of guardians, and four co-optative governors. Boys who have obtained the age of seven years are admitted as scholars on passing an examination, but no boy may remain after he is 16. The course of instruction embraces reading and spelling, writing, arithmetic, English grammar and composition, Latin, French, history, geography, elementary mathematics, practical and experimental science, drawing and vocal music. The school's lands comprise three cottages and an orchard, known at Stoke's tenements, and containing 1A 1R 9P, let for £26 16s 6d a year; Steer's tenements (13 poles), let of £4 4s a year; Manning's meadow 3A 3R 36P, let for £22 a year; Wise's meadow (1A 1R 5P) let for £6 a year. The parish lands comprise Rack Park (1A 3R 12P), let at £9 a year; Townsend tenement, consisting of dwelling house, wheelwright's shops and buildings, cottage garden, and a small meadow containing 2A 0R 31P, now let at £20 a year; a cottage and garden situate in Mary Street (10 poles), and let for £4 10s a year; and the old workhouse and a garden, let for £14 10s a year. The governors have a sum from Hele's charity. The governor's apply £3 10 a year of Stooke's gift (left in 1709) to provide sacramental bread and wine, and for small distributions of bread among the poor.

THE DEVON HOUSE OF MERCY FOR PENITENT FAMALES was established in 1861, and the present home, which was erected in 1863, at a cost of £9000, has accommodation for 80 inmates, and is under the management of the Sisters of St John the Baptist of Clewer, near Windsor. At Heathfield is a small COTTAGE HOSPITAL, founded in 1871 by Miss Divett.

POST, MONEY ORDER and TELEGRAPH OFFICE and SAVINGS BANK AT Mr Richard Samuel Ladd's, Fore Street. Letters through Newton Abbot are received at 6.30 a.m, and dispatched at 6.30 p.m.

Adams, William, plumber and tinner, Fore street

Aggett, Edward, farmer, Lower Brimley

Aggett, George, lodgings, Wreyland Cottage

Aggett, William, shopkeeper, St Mary street

Aggett, William, eatinghouse keeper, Fore street

Baker, Miss Charlotte, shopkeeper, Fore street

Baker, Henry, coal and manure merchant, cow keeper, road contractor, and agent for Commercial Union and United Kingdom Insurance Companies, Yewtree hs & Newton.

Barkell, James, shopkeeper and stonemason

Barlow, Miss Lydia, Fairfield

Boston, William, farmer, Lower Brimley

Beer, Mrs Ann, beerhouse

Beer, George, grocer and assistant overseer, Fore street

Beer, John, wheelwright

Bentinck, Charles Aldenbury, Esq. JP, Indio

Bird, Miss Sarah Ann, draper and grocer, Fore street

Bond, George, shoemaker, Fore street

Boucher, Richard, lodgings, Heathfield villa

Bowden, Emanuel, blacksmith and machinist, Fore street

Buller, Mr James, Dunley

Buller, Wentworth William, farmer, Chapple

Bullock, Rev George Frederick, MA, curate, Fore street

Campbell, Misses Elizabeth and Jane M., Moorside

Collins, Jeremiah, earthenware, &c, dealer, St Mary st

Cotton, Rev William (Congl.), Chapel House, St Mary st

Courtenay, Hon and Rev Charles Leslie, MA, vicar, canon of Windsor, and chaplain to the Queen, The Vicarage

Cousins, William, carter, Fore Street

Cox, Mrs Mason, Overn

Crees, Mrs Jane, dressmaker, Fore street

Croker, Mrs Mary Ann, Cross cottage

Croker, Thomas, farmer, Five Wyches

Cumming, James & John, blksmths & whtsmths. Fore st.

Daymond, Albion, cab proprtr & vict. Union Hotel, Fore st

Daymond, George, coffee house proprietor, Pottery

Devon House of Mercy for Penitent Females

Divett, Miss Adela Hastings, St Mary's, Heathfield

Divett, John & Co. earthenware and brick manufacturers. Heathfield, h Bridge house, Fore street

Drew, Walter, farmer, Wifford

Easterbrook, Mrs Charlotte, grocer, draper and wine agent, Fore street

Easterbrook, Mr Samuel, Fore street

Edwards, Mrs Bennett, Church Style house

Edwards, Mrs Mary Ann, farmer, Frost; and Hele

Endacott, Edward, butcher, Fore street

Evans, James, watchmaker and umbrella repairer, Fore st

Eyre, Rev Daniel (Wesleyan) Hillsborough house

Fewins, Mr Simon, St Mary street

Fox, Mrs Mary Elizth and Frances, Heatheredge

French, Mr Robert, East street

Fry, Samuel, farmer, Little Bovey

Fryer, Rev A T, curate, Heathfield

Gould, Rev J L, Knowle

Hamlin, William, butcher, Fore street

Hannaford, Samuel, farmer, Bulleton: & Hennock

Harris, Joseph, farmer, Lower Coombe

Harris, Reuben, shoemaker, Fore street

Harris, Mr William, Plumley

Hawkridge, Wm. tailor and draper, Fore street

Hellier, Thomas, farmer, Soldridge

Hellier, William, farmer, Shute

Helyer, William, baker and confectioner, Fore street

Hill, Edward Sercombe, baker and confectioner, Fore street

Hole, Mrs Susan, Park view

Hole, Wm Robert Esq. JP, Park

Holmes, Jonas, railway carrier, Fore street

Humphreys, Jas. Road contractor & vict., Bell Inn, Fore st.

Jarvis, ___, farmer, Reeve Coombe

Job, Thomas, farmer, Warwick

Joll, John. cab proprietor & victualler. Dolphin, Fore st.

Kingwill, Joseph, blacksmith & shopkeeper, Fore st.

Kitson, Mrs Henrietta Ley, Dean park

Ladd, Rich Samuel, book seller & fancy stationer, agent for Royal Insce Co., stamp distributor & postmaster, Fore st

Langmead, William, farmer, Whitstone farm

Langworthy. William, farmer, Middle Coombe

Lavis, Miss Elizth, victualler, King of Prussia, Fore st

Lee, Misses, St John's view, Heathfield

Levett, Mr Theophilus. Cole Hayes

Love, Rev Charles (Baptist) Rowell house

Loveys, Miss Cath. Mistress, St John's infant schl., Heathfield

Loveys, Chas Orchard, baker and shopkeeper, Fore street

Loveys, Mrs Susan and Misses, day and boarding school, Church hill

Loveys, Thos. house and general agent and timber merchant, Church hill

Mann, William, butcher, Fore street

Marchant, William, farmer, Shute

Mardon, John, builder, newsagent and fancy dlr. Fore st.

Miles, Thomas, watchmaker and oil and lamp dealer, Fore st,

Mountford, Lewis, shopkeeper, Heathfield road

Montgomery, Rev W H, Clergy house

Mugford, Jabez H, timber mer. Belmont * Newton Abbot

Murch, Sanuel, baker and confectioner, East Street

Palmer, Emanuel, farmer, Luscombe

Parnell, Jonas, stationmaster

Philip, Simon, farmer, Ullacombe

Pike, Christopher, chemist, Fore street

Pratt, Miss, mistress national school

Reynolds, William, tailor, Fore street

Robertson, Mrs Elizabeth, Berlin wool repository and hymn book depot, Heathfield

Robinson, William, manager, Fore street

Rowe, W B, farmer and lodgings, Stickwick

Russell, Mrs, matron, St John's Cottage Hospital, Heathfield

St John's Cottage Hospital, Heathfield, Miss M L Terry, matron

Sampson, Wm, rag and bone dealer and general broker, Fore street

Saunders, Mr Wm, Delph Heath, Higher Atway

Sercombe, William, sadler, St Mary street

Sly, Samuel, joiner and shopkeeper, St Mary st

Smith, Richard C, farmer, Hawkmoor

Staddon, Mr William, Pitt house

Stamp Office, Fore street, Richd S Ladd, distributor

Stamp, William, farmer, Forder

Stevens, ___, farmer, Ullacombe

Tapper, Geo. (Exors of) builder, stonemason and lodgings, Heathfield house

Taylor, Arthur Norton, MRCS, surgeon, Hillside

Tucker, Edward, carpenter and wheelwright, East street

Wade, Chas Joseph, farmer, Stonelands; and Dawlish

Welch, Asher, decorator, St John's villa, Heathfield

Welsford, Thomas, baker, St Mary street

Westwood, William, national schoolmaster, and secretary to Working Men's Club, Church hill

Wills, George, farmer, Knowle farm

Wills, Mrs, farmer, Pulla brook

Winter, Miss E J, mistress, British school, St Mary street

Working Men's Club, Reading Room and Library, Fore street, William Westwood, secretary

Wreyford, John, farmer, Elsford

Wreyford, William, farmer, Aller

Wyatt, Edward Webber, miller, farmer and hay dealer, Town mills

RAILWAY; Jonas Parnell, station master